A Dramatic Collapse in the Decider
The third and final ODI between Pakistan and Australia has reached a crucial point. With the series tied at 1-1, everything was on the line in this match. Australia won the toss and decided to bat first, hoping to put up a massive score on the board.
However, things did not go as they planned at all. The Pakistani bowlers bowled with incredible discipline and completely destroyed the Australian batting lineup. Australia was bowled out for just 157 runs in 42 overs, leaving Pakistan with a very comfortable target to win the series.
Pakistan's Dream Start with the Ball
Shaheen Shah Afridi set the tone for Pakistan right from the very first over of the match. He bowled a brilliant delivery to dismiss the dangerous Matt Short for a duck. Short could only manage two balls before catching one straight to Sahibzada Farhan.
This early breakthrough put Australia on the back foot immediately. The stadium erupted in joy as Pakistan celebrated the perfect start to this must-win game. Shaheen looked in great rhythm, swinging the ball beautifully and troubling the batsmen.
Josh Inglis Fights a Lonely Battle
After the early blow, captain Josh Inglis came to the crease and played a captain's knock. He was the only Australian batsman who looked comfortable against the Pakistani bowling attack. Inglis scored a brilliant 65 runs off 71 balls, hitting eight fours and a six.
He showed great intent and tried his best to rebuild the innings. While wickets were falling at the other end, Inglis kept the scoreboard ticking with some smart cricket. Unfortunately, he did not get enough support from his teammates to convert this into a huge total.
The Middle-Order Disappointment
Marnus Labuschagne and Alex Carey both got starts but failed to convert them into big scores. Labuschagne made 19 runs off 39 balls before a brilliant piece of fielding by Haris Rauf ran him out. This run-out broke a crucial partnership and put Australia in deep trouble.
Alex Carey also scored 19 runs before he was clean-bowled by a fiery delivery from Haris Rauf. Once these two batsmen departed, the Australian middle-order completely collapsed under the pressure of Pakistan's tight bowling lines.
Shaheen Afridi's Deadly Spells
Shaheen Afridi came back for his second spell and quickly removed the big-hitting Cameron Green. Green could only score 7 runs before giving a simple catch to Babar Azam. This wicket broke the remaining hope of a big Australian total.
Shaheen was the pick of the fast bowlers, finishing with amazing figures of 3 wickets for 30 runs in his 8 overs. His ability to take wickets at the start and in the middle overs kept Australia under constant pressure.
Spinners Strangle the Australian Batsmen
While the fast bowlers did the damage early on, Pakistan's spinners completely choked the runs in the middle overs. Abrar Ahmed was absolutely brilliant with his mystery spin. He bowled 10 overs, including 2 maidens, and took 2 wickets while giving away just 19 runs.
Abrar dismissed Matt Renshaw for 4 and then bowled Cooper Connolly for just 3 runs. The Australian batsmen simply had no answers to his variations and struggled to even rotate the strike.
Shadab Khan Cleans Up the Tail
Shadab Khan also joined the party and bowled beautifully to wrap up the lower order. He picked up the wicket of Oliver Peake, who scored 7 runs, thanks to a catch by Muhammad Ghazi Ghori. Shadab then bowled the dangerous Adam Zampa for 10 runs.
Shadab finished his 9 overs with impressive figures of 2 wickets for 28 runs. The spinners made sure that Australia could not make any sort of comeback in the final overs of their innings.
A Forgettable Batting Performance
Australia's innings never really found any momentum from the start. Apart from Josh Inglis, no other batsman even crossed the 20-run mark, which tells you the story of their batting collapse. The extras actually ended up being the fourth-highest scorer with 13 runs.
The final wicket fell in the 42nd over when Nathan Ellis was run out for just 1 run. Australia went from 98/3 to being completely bowled out for 157 runs, losing their last 7 wickets for just 59 runs.
Pakistani Bowlers Dominate the Show
It was a complete team effort from the Pakistani bowling department. Every bowler executed the plans perfectly and didn't give any free runs to the opposition. Youngster Arafat Minhas also bowled tightly, giving away 27 runs in his 6 overs.
Salman Ali Agha bowled 2 overs for 14 runs, giving the main bowlers a short break. The discipline from the bowlers meant Australia could only score at a very slow run rate of 3.74 runs per over.
The Stage is Set for a Series Win
Pakistan now needs 158 runs to win this match and seal the ODI series 2-1. On a pitch that has something for the bowlers, the Pakistani batsmen will need to be careful and sensible in their chase.
They have a world-class batting lineup, but they cannot afford to be complacent against a hurt Australian bowling attack. An exciting second innings awaits us as Pakistan aims to lift the trophy on Australian soil.
Do you think Pakistan will chase down this total easily, or will the Australian bowlers make a dramatic comeback? Let me know your predictions in the comments below!
Read Also: If you want to read the full details of Surrey's brilliant 8-wicket victory over Middlesex, then Click Here.
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